Car-starter



(no Model" J. LADNER.

Oar Starter.

No. 234,590. Patented Nov. 16, I880.

A WITNESSE/s/ZJ jg?) I, BY WJT ATTORNEY.'

N PETERS. PHOTO-LITHGGRAF'NER WASHINGTON D C.

FFMEO ATENT CAR- STARTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 234,590, dated November 16, 1880.

Application filed May 22, 1880.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN LADNER, of Charlestown, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Oar-Starters, of which the following is a specification.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the improvement. Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation taken through the line 00 m, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view of a part of the improvement enlarged.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The object of this invention is to furnish starters for street-cars, so constructed that the first effort of the horses will be applied to the wheels near their rims in such a direction as will roll thewheels forward, and will be withdrawn from the wheels automatically as soon as the wheels begin to move, and which shall be simple in construction and not liable to get out of order.

The invention consists in constructing; a carstarter of ratchet-wheels attached to the carwheels, pawls carried by a cross-bar sliding upon guide-rods and having a spring for drawing it back, the connecting bail and rod. the spring-rod, inclined bars, and guide-pins, and the draw'bar, having a cross-head to engage with the inclined bars, and a spring for drawing it back when the draft is slackened, whereby the initial draft will be applied to the wheels near their rims, and will be withdrawn when the wheels begin to move, as will be hereinafter fully described.

A represents the car-frame. B represents the truckt'rame, and (J the wheels.

To the inner sides of the wheels 0 are attached, or upon them are formed, ratchetwheels D, to receive the pawls E, which are attached to or formed upon the ends of the cross-bar F. The cross-bar F is supported by and slides upon guide-rods G, the ends of which are attached to the frame A or the bottom of the car.

To the end parts or the cross-bar F are attached the ends of a bail, H, which is made V-shaped, and has a loop or eye in its center to receive the hook formed upon the rear end of the rod 1. The rod I slides in a guide-hole in a bar or plate, J, attached to the car-frame A, and upon the forward end of the said rod (No model.)

I I is formed a hook to hook into an eye or loop formed in the center of the spring-rod K, which is made in V form, and to its ends are attached two bars or blocks, L. The bars Or blocks L are tapered upon their inner side or made wedge-shaped, and when left free are held by the elasticity of the rod K with their rear ends overlapped, as shown in Fig. 1. The forward ends of the inclined blocks L rest against the outer sides of two pins, M, attached to the car-frame A.

N is the draw-rod, which passes through and slides in a guide attached to the car-frame. Upon the rear end of the draw-rod N is formed a cross-head, O, which projects between the arms of the spring-rod K and rests against the overlapped rear ends of the inclined blocks L.

Upon the forward end of the draw-rod N is formed a hook, P, for the attachment of the draft.

To the draw-rod N is attached a cross-head, Q, which slides upon guide-rods B, attached to the car-frame A. With the cross-head Q are connected spiral or other shaped springs S, to draw the draw-rod N to the rearward as soon as the draft is slackened.

With the cross-bar F, that carries the pawls E, are connected one or more spiral or other shaped springs, T, to draw the cross-bar F to the rearward to withdraw the pawls E from the ratchet-wheels D as soon as the draft-strain upon the said crossbar is slackened. With this construction, when the draft is applied the first effect is to draw the cross-bar F forward, causing the pawls E to engage with the ratchet-wheels l) and turn the wheels 0, the draft being thus applied to the wheels 0 near their rims.

As the draw-rod moves forward the pins M force the inclined blocks L apart, releasing the cross-head O and allowing the said cross-head to rest against cross-bars of the frame A to sustain the draft. As the blocks L are released from the cross-head 0 the spring T draws the cross-bar F back, withdrawing the pawls E from the ratchet-wheels D and drawin g the blocks L back to their former position, so that their rear ends will again overlap. As the draft-strain upon the draw-rod N is slackened the spring S forces the said drawrod back, causing the cross-head O to force the blocks L apart until it passes them and rests against their rear ends, ready to apply the pawls E to the ratchet-wheels D, when a draft-strain is again applied to the said drawrod N.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A car-starter constructed substantially as herein shown and described, consisting of of the ratchet-wheels D, the pawls E, the crosss-bar, bail, and connecting-rod F H I, the spring-rod K, the inclined blocks L, the guide-pins M, the draw-rod N, having crosshead 0, and the springs S T, to adapt the starter to be applied to the frame and wheels of a car, as set forth.

2. 111 a carstarter, the combination, with the frame A and wheels 0, of the ratchet'wheels D,

the pawls E, the sliding cross-rod and bail F H, the guide-rods G, the connecting-rod I, the spring-rod K, the inclined blocks L, the guidepins M, the draw-bar N, having cross-head O, and the springs S T, substantially as herein shown and described, whereby the draft, in starting, will be applied to the wheels near their rims and will be then withdrawn automatically, as set forth.

8. In a car starter, the combination, with the sliding cross-bar F, carrying the paw ls E, and with the draw-rod N, having cross-head O, of the spring K, the inclined bars L, and the guide-pins M, whereby the draft is withdrawn from the ratchet-wheels as the car hegins to move forward, as set forth.

JOHN LADNER.

Witnesses PATRICK F. MOGARAGLE, GEO. E. TARR. 

